Medical technology imaging by magnetic resonance (MR), also called Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), is characterized by high and variable soft tissue contrasts. Excitation pulses are irradiated into a patient with the aid of a magnetic resonance device, which trigger magnetic resonance signals in the patient. The magnetic resonance signals are received by electrically-conductive loops, so-called coils and/or antennas. In this process, a voltage is induced in the coil by the magnetic resonance signal. The induced voltage may be forwarded to receive electronics of the magnetic resonance device amplified by a low-noise preamplifier.
The receive coils may be arranged as close as possible to the patient. These are therefore also referred to as local coils. The local coils may not have a fixed connection to the magnetic resonance device, but are connected to the magnetic resonance device via a plug connector.
Conventional plug connectors may include a first connecting part on the coil side, (e.g., a plug on a cable of the local coil), and a second connecting part on the device side, (e.g., a socket on a patient couch of the magnetic resonance apparatus).
The coil-side plug may include contact elements, (e.g., contact pins pointing outwards), which are readily able to be touched. Thus, the danger of mechanical damage exists, such as through bending of the contact pins.
The socket corresponding to the plug may include contact elements, for example, contact openings pointing inwards. The contact elements may be arranged in an insulating body, e.g., pressed into the insulating body. The socket may further include a cover, for example, with a spring-loaded displacement mechanism. The cover may protect against direct touch contact with the contact elements and/or against the intrusion of liquids. In particular, contact openings in the socket may be arranged set back, in order to further enhance protection against accidental touch contact.
With an open cover in particular, liquids may still get into the insulating body and lead to corrosion of a circuit board, which might possibly be connected to it for example. In addition, liquid residues of cleaning agents may remain in the socket after cleaning, which may cause a material to become brittle, because the cleaning agents collect in recesses of the socket and may have a long-term effect.
Publication FR 2 873 237 A1 discloses a waterproof plug connector with two connecting units. The connecting units include a movable protective cover with electrically-conductive inserts. The connecting units further include fixed-location contacts inside the housing. During connection of the connecting units, protective covers are moved from the outside inwards in order to establish contact between the electrically-conductive inserts of the protective covers and the fixed-location contacts.
Publication U.S. Pat. No. 6,062,886 discloses a similar waterproof plug connector, in which a socket has internally-arranged, fixed-location terminals and a flexible cover with conductive hollow legs. On connection of the plug connector a plug is introduced into the legs and the flexible cover is pushed inwards inside the socket, in order to push the legs into the terminals.